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The Indispensable Lemon 



The Ben Franklin of Fruits — As Many-sided 
as the Famous Philadelphian 

By C. HOUSTON GOUDISS 

Food Advisor of The People's Home Journal; Author of 

"Foods that Will Win the War" and "Making 

the Most of Our Meat Supply"; Food 

Economist of national 

reputation 



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PRIVATELY PRINTED BY 

THE PEOPLE'S HOME JOURNAL 

NEW YORK 



COPYRIGHT 1921 

F. M. LUPTON, PUBLISHER 

NEW YORK 



g)C!.A6o4 923 



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The Indispensable Lemon 



THE BEN FRANKLIN OF FRUITS— 
AS MANY-SIDED AS THE FAMOUS 
PHILADELPHIAN 

^/ \f OWADAYS lemons are so commonly seen 
^^^^ in so many kinds of shops and are so 
widely used in all homes, that it smacks of fairy- 
tale talk to say that once upon a time — several 
thousands of years ago — this invaluable fruit was 
regarded solely as an antidote for certain poisons. 

Yet, in ancient historical records we find mention 
of its juice having saved the lives of men thought 
to be dying from the effect of snake bites — and here 
arises a gleam of hope for those short-sighted folk 
who bewail prohibition because it denies us a re- 
puted sovereign remedy in such cases ! 

So useful a fruit as the lemon could not long keep 
its light hid under a bushel, however, and for many 
centuries it has been increasingly employed in 
nearly all countries. 

From its native home in northwest India, where 
it grows wild, it has been carried to cultivation in 
far-separated sections of the globe. In the early 
part of the Christian era it was introduced to south- 
ern Europe, and took root principally in the island 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

of Sicily, which gained a world-wide reputation for 
producing the finest of lemons, and held first place 
until the soil and climate of California and Florida 
proved still more ideal for citrus fruits. 

To-day the finest lemons are American-grown, 
and so swiftly has this industry developed within 
three decades that importations of Italian and 
Spanish fruit have largely diminished — simply an- 
other illustration of this country's ability to satisfy 
all its food needs. 

A Fruit that Is a Food Need 

BoTANiCALLY, the Icmou belongs to the citrus 
family, that group so important to health, which 
includes the orange, lime, grapefruit, pomelo, tan- 
gerine, kumquat and pomegranate. 

The lemon branch of this family is itself numer- 
ous, there being more than half a hundred different 
varieties. While these differ as to size, flavor and 
individual characteristics such as thickness of rind 
and color, they are largely alike in their inherent 
qualities. 

Like pears, they must be picked green and allowed 
to ripen off the tree in order to be at their best. 
If permitted to remain on the tree until yellow, they 
become coarse and far less desirable than when 
picked green and matured in artificially heated 
rooms. When thus properly prepared for market, 
the lemon assumes a position of the highest import- 
ance in the human dietary. 

Although it is 85 per cent water, even this fact has 

4 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

a bearing on its dietetic value, for the human body 
itself is principally water, and fluids bathe and pro- 
tect the various organs — the kidneys, the heart, 
lungs, stomach and bowels. And lemon juice be- 
sides supplying necessary fluid carries food elements 
of the highest worth. It is rich in mineral salts, 
without full measure of which the human machine 
could not carry on its work, and it provides in high- 
est concentration one of the most important vita- 
mines, the antiscorbutic. 

Richest in Antiscorbutic Vitamines 

Hundreds of years before the word vitamine en- 
tered our language the medicinal value of lemon 
juice was widely known. In ancient times soldiers 
were required to add it to the water they drank, to 
protect against impurities, and in the Middle Ages 
the fisher-folk along the coasts of the Mediterra- 
nean learned that its acid was necessary to balance 
a diet composed largely of sea-food. 

Sailors discovered that a daily ration of lemon 
juice would defend them against what formerly 
was their worst foe — scurvy. In these days, when 
steamships not only make swift voyages, but are for 
the most part equipped with cold-storage facilities 
for keeping fresh meats and vegetables, we cannot 
appreciate the situation that existed when those 
who depended on the wind as motive force were 
often without fresh food for months at a time. Such 
a diet sooner or later brought on attacks of scurvy, 
and there are instances a-plenty of whole crews be- 
ing disabled and of many deaths from this cause. 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

None knew why the lemon held this plague at 
bay, but its power was so potent that in the seven- 
teenth century the English parliament enacted a 
law requiring all sailing ships bound for distant 
ports to carry enough "lime" juice to give each 
man on board one ounce daily. This was not the 
juice of the lime, which is not to be compared to 
lemon in the antiscorbutic power, but of what was 
known as the lime lemon, a variety once popular. 

Recent investigations have proved that the pro- 
tective power of the lemon is more than four times 
as great as that of the lime, and this, of course, evi- 
dences its higher vitamine content. 

When we recognize that without a sufficiency of 
vitamines in the diet no amount of otherwise nour- 
ishing food can be fully sustaining, it is evident that 
the lemon becomes an essential factor to a whole- 
some diet. One ounce daily would undoubtedly work 
miracles for health were it added to the diet of 
every human being. 
An Acid that Prevents Acidity 

Next to its importance as a source of the anti- 
scorbutic vitamines — the lemon is vitally important 
as a food by reason of its large content of citric acid. 
It contains a larger percentage of this acid than any 
other fruit, and this is by far the most valuable of 
fruit acids. 

Citric acid, found in lemon juice, is absolutely 
necessary in the diet because it helps to prevent 
the blood from becoming too acid, a state that favors 
the development of disease conditions. 

6 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

It is an acid that defends against too much 
acidity ! That this is true seems difficult for many 
people to understand, for we still hear those suffer- 
ing from acid condition say, "I cannot use acid 
fruits." But it is well known to physiologists that 
the foods we eat have either an acid or an alka- 
line reaction after being burned in the stomach fur- 
nace. Those which supply excess acid are eggs, fish, 
meats, cereals. Those which lead in counteracting 
this excess and therefore keep the blood slightly al- 
kaline, as it should be in order to insure normal 
health, are fruits, vegetables and milk. 

When the acids formed by the foods named are 
not promptly utilized by alkalies supplied by the 
second group mentioned, they accumulate in the 
blood and produce a tendency to "acidosis." This is 
a condition that offers every opportunity for dis- 
ease germs to get in their disastrous work, and is 
particularly favorable to the development of skrn 
affections and nose, throat and bronchial troubles. 
Hyperacidity also is apt to lead to kidney trouble. 

So alkaline salts are essential as a means of neu- 
tralizing the body fluids, and since the lemon is un- 
usually rich in an acid which becomes alkaline in 
the process of digestion, its great worth as a main- 
tainer of the necessary alkaline reaction of the blood 
can be appreciated. 

Lemon juice is also notably rich in potassium — 
food lime — and no mineral is more needed in the 
building and repairing processes of the body. It 
also contains a small amount of malic acid — the 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

chief mineral constituent of apples — one half of one 
per cent of sugar, a considerable percentage of phos- 
phoric acid and some pectose. 

A Yellow Pill for Many Perils 

In a very true sense, the two properties I have 
just discussed are essentially food value. Vitamines 
and mineral salts are among the food elements 
which must be included in the diet. But nature is 
not content to let the lemon rest on these laurels, 
however secure they make its place in the galaxy 
of fruits. 

As an appetizer, lemon juice is in every way su- 
perior to the most praised cocktail that ever sailed 
under false colors — for cocktails have a "back kick" 
which more than nullifies any temporary craving 
for food they may create. Lemon juice is especially 
valuable to cleanse the stomach of mucus when its 
juice is used with hot water an hour before meals. 

By stimulating the flow of saliva, the most im- 
portant body fluid, likewise of the gastric juice, the 
lemon helps to set up a natural desire for food, and 
goes farther than this in the direction of health by 
making up for any deficiency of gastric acid which 
may be present in the stomach. 

For many centuries the Chinese, wise in ways of 
medicine, have used the lemon in treatment of neur- 
algia by rubbing the affected parts with the wet sur- 
face of a fresh cut lemon, and in many nature-cure 
sanatoria it is employed with marked success in the 
antiseptic treatment of wounds, bedsores, etc. 

Lemon juice is known to possess antiseptic prop- 

8 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

erties, and here is one antiseptic which does not 
injure the healthy cells and tissues of the body. 

Lemonades, made by addition of the juice of one 
lemon to a quart of water, with two or three ounces 
of malt sugar added, is frequently used as a desir- 
able thirst-quenching beverage in fever cases. Even 
very sick patients can, as a rule, drink two or three 
quarts of this mixture daily without risk. 

Lemon whey, made by adding a teaspoonful of 
fresh lemon juice to a pint of boiling milk, stirring 
until coagulation takes place, is a valuable drink for 
fever patients. 

The use of lemons in the treatment of gout and 
obesity is an ancient practice, and for those of a bil- 
ious temperament lemon juice has always been 
recommended. When employed as a flesh-reducer it 
is not wise to proceed without a doctor's orders and 
guidance, since an excess of any one kind of food or 
liquid is apt to bring about undesirable results. 
Those desiring to get thin are usually too eager for 
results and act upon the theory the bigger the dose 
the quicker the cure. 

Where malaria is prevalent the value of lemon 
juice as a protection against this most distressing 
malady has long been recognized. All in all there is 
no other fruit which can boast of such varied and 
valuable medicinal qualities. 

Lemon Juice Should Be Preserved 

That this valuable acid should be more widely 
used is admitted by all dietitians, and experiments 
have recently been completed which show that 

9 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

lemon juice can be dried and still preserve its anti- 
scorbutic value. It is believed that such a concen- 
trated preparation will be very important for army 
use and for localities where fresh fruits and vege- 
tables are scarce. The camper, the hunter, the auto- 
mobile tourist, the housekeeper of limited storage 
space, and the lodger minus a refrigerator w^ould all 
welcome a portable form of this most essential food 
element, so it is hoped that dried lemon juice will 
before long become an article of commerce. 

Lemon juice can also be bottled. Through care- 
ful attention to such hygienic details as sterilization 
of implements and containers, fresh lemon juice can 
be preserved for some time, though it must be used 
within a reasonable period after the bottle has been 
opened. 

In this connection it is a matter of the utmost im- 
portance that lemon juice is one of the few vitamine 
bearing substances that can be sterilized under a 
temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit without los- 
ing its potency in this particular. The thrifty house- 
wife who wants to buy lemons in quantity when 
they are cheapest, so as to add lemon juice to her 
store closet, will find that her regular rules for can- 
ning are satisfactory. Undoubtedly, if lemon juice 
were stored among the winter commodities, this 
invaluable acid would be much more widely used. 

The Queen of Fruit Cosmetics 

Before we finish this review of the outstanding 
benefits bestowed through the lemon, it may be seen 

10 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

that this excellent fruit is almost as many-sided as 
was Benjamin Franklin ! 

For, besides its food and medicinal values, it now 
comes forward to claim its place as a really effect- 
ive cosmetic — and really effective cosmetics are so 
rare as to demand special attention. 

It is not amiss to call lemon juice nature's purest 
cosmetic, and surely nothing could be more con- 
venient to use, since it requires no preparation and 
no special skill in application. 

For whitening and beautifying the skin it has be- 
come increasingly popular within the last few years, 
and since its acid tends to neutralize the alkali 
which is found in even the finest soaps, it can be 
seen that its employment in water in which the face 
and hands are rinsed is of great value to the skin 
and complexion. 

Its action on the skin, even the most delicate skin, 
is soothing, cleansing and whitening. It is a bleach 
which cannot harm, unless it be used to marked ex- 
cess. And for stains on the fingers there is no better 
eradicator than a fresh-cut lemon, vigorously ap- 
plied to the soiled parts. It will also remove black- 
heads due to impaired circulation of the skin. 

In this field it possesses another distinct virtue. 
It is one of the set foes of that shininess which pre- 
sent-day women so detest and which has made the 
individual powder puff the most popular of all toi- 
let accessories. 

Squeeze a lemon into a basin of fresh water, wash 

11 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

the face with this Hquid, and see how quickly the 
greasy look disappears from the skin ! 

Lemon juice also is a manicuring accessory of the 
utmost value. A teaspoon of it in a cup of hot water 
makes a mixture which admirably softens the cuti- 
cle and at the same time gently bleaches the nail 
and removes any stains which may be present. 

As a remedy for sunburn it is justly popular, and 
the addition of the juice to the water in which the 
hair is rinsed after a shampoo will not only give the 
hair a silken sheen, but at the same time serve as 
a mild stimulant tonic to the scalp. 

A tablespoon of the fresh juice in a half glass of 
water serves as a pleasing and purifying tooth wash. 

Last, but Not Least — Flavor 1 

Having detailed the food and medicinal values of 
this remarkable fruit, we come now to that quality 
which, above all others, gives to any food its basic 
value — flavor. 

As readers of this series of articles repeatedly 
have been told, flavor is the prime determining fac- 
tor in the usefulness of any food — not only because 
of the palate appeal it makes, but by reason of its 
power to influence a proper flow of those mouth and 
stomach juices which must be present in sufficient 
quantity before any intake of food can be well util- 
ized in nourishment of the body. 

The flavor of the lemon, therefore, is one of its 
salient points. And as its piquant fragrance indi- 
cates, this flavor is one of the finest in all nature. 
There is a tang about the taste of lemon that cannot 

12 



TEE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

be got from any other fruit source. It is one of the 
most grateful flavors with which man is acquainted, 
and it is powerful as well as pleasing. The best of all 
tributes to it is shown in the widespread use made 
of it. 

We have lemon candies and lemon pies, lemon 
drinks and ices, lemon custards and cakes. We use 
the lemon for adding a note of zest to stewed fruits 
and fruit sauces. With it we flavor all manner of 
dressings and sauces. 

If we are wise, we use it in place of vinegar in 
salad dressings, for it not only supplies the needed 
acid, but in much more healthful form. We follow 
the Russian custom of putting a slice in the cup of 
tea, and we squeeze a little of the juice on fish and 
oysters. This is good sense, for this acid helps to 
make the sea food more easily assimilable by the 
system, as well as more pleasing to the palate. In 
salad dressing too, lemon produces a more delicate 
flavor than vinegar. 

Of lemon drinks there is no end, and they are so 
healthful that it is well they are so popular. Easily 
in the lead is lemonade — lemon squash, as, our Eng- 
lish kin call it — which is used not only as a table 
drink, but for all manner of informal and formal 
social affairs. 

As a genuine thirst quencher it has no equal, out- 
side of clear, cool water. When our boys were in the 
trenches in France, they were given daily allow- 
ances of lemon drops, for to let a few of these sour 
candies melt in the mouth was almost the equiva- 

13 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

lent of a cup of water, so far as quenching of thirst 
was concerned. 

This deUghtful flavor is due to the presence of 
certain aromatic oils, and these oils, which are con- 
tained principally in the rind, are of large commer- 
cial value when pressed out. They are used for the 
manufacture of lemon flavoring extract, and the 
rinds from which they are pressed are then candied 
and employed in cake making and the preparation 
of various desserts, puddings, and confections. 

So of the uses of the lemon there seems literally 
no end, and it is a matter for national rejoicing that 
we grow in our own land the finest lemons known, 
and that the supply is annually increasing to bless 
human beings with health, beauty and nutriment! 



14 



RECIPES 

Lemon Queen Cakes 

Cream together one-half cupful of butter or margarin and one cupful of 
sugar. When well blended add grated rind and juice of one lemon and three 
well beaten egg yolks. Mix and sift one and one-half cupfuls of pastry flour, 
one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one-third teaspoonful of baking soda. Add to 
the first mixture, and beat thoroughly. Fold in the stifHy beaten whites of 
three eggs and bake in small tins in a moderate oven about twenty minutes. 
Cool, cut off the tops and remove a little of the crumb. Fill with Lemon Jelly 
Filling, replace tops and sprinkle with powdered sugar or spread with confec- 
tioners' sugar icing. 

Lemon Jelly Filling 

Beat three egg yolks until light, add grated rind and juice of one large lem- 
on, one cupful of sugar and one-half cupful of butter or margarin. Cook over 
hot water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from fire, 
beat in the stiflSy beaten egg whites and reheat to the boiling point. Cool and 
use as filling for Lemon Queen Cakes, Jelly Roll, Layer Cake, etc. This will 
keep for several weeks if put in a covered jar in the ice box. 

Lemon Fruit Whip 

Soak two and one-half tablespoonfuls of gelatin in one-fourth cupful of 
cold water for five minutes. Add one and one-fourth cupfuls of boiling water 
and three-fourths cupful of sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add one- 
fourth cupful of lemon juice, grated rind of one-half lemon and cool the mix- 
ture until it begins to stiffen. Beat in stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. Put in 
a glass dish one cupful of stewed figs or prunes cut in small pieces, one orange 
and one banana cut in thin slices. Pour the gelatin mixture over the fruit and 
chill before serving. Serve with a custard sauce. 

Lemon Tapioca 

Stir one-fourth cupful of granulated tapioca into one and one-half cupfuls 
of boiling water and cook until transparent. Add one cupful of sugar, one- 
third cupful of lemon juice and one teaspoonful of grated lemon rind. Cool the 
mixture slightly, then fold in two stiflSy beaten egg whites. Chill and serve 
with custard sauce. 

Lemon Souffle 

Beat three egg yolks with six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and grated 
rind of one large lemon until very light. Add one tablespoonful of lemon juice 
and fold in the stifHy beaten whites of three eggs. Pour into a shallow greased 
dish and bake in a moderate ovek about twenty minutes, or until golden 
brown. Serve immediately. 

15 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

Lemon FiUing 

Mix three-fourths cupful of sugar and five tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to- 
gether; add juice and grated rind of two lemons and two well beaten egg 
yolks. Stir in one and one-half cupfuls of boiling water and cook, stirring con- 
stantly, until thick and boiling. Remove from fire, cool and pour into a baked 
pie shell. Cover with a meringue made of the beaten egg whites and four 
tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. Brown meringue in a slow oven. This is 
enough for one medium sized pie. 

Lemon Cheese Tarts 

Bake rich pastry over small inverted patty or muffin pans. Cool and fill 
with the following mixture. Lemon Cheese: Melt one- fourth cupful of butter 
or margarin in a double boiler, add grated rind and juice of two large lemons, 
one cupful of sugar and three beaten eggs. Cook, stirring constantly until the 
mixture starts to thicken, add one-fourth cupful of butter or margarin and 
continue cooking until as thick as marmalade. Cool before using. This fill- 
ing will keep a month in a cool place. 

Lemon Blanc Mange 

Scald one quart of milk in a double boiler. Mix one-half cupful of sugar 
with five tablespoonfuls of cornstarch and one-eighth teaspoonful of salt. Add 
one teaspoonful of grated lemon rind, one beaten egg and enough cold milk to 
make a smooth mixture. Stir in the hot milk and cook over hot water until 
thick and smooth. Then stir in one tablespoonful of lemon juice and pour into 
a cold, wet mold. Chill, turn out and garnish with jelly. A ring mold may be 
used if desired and the center filled with a soft custard that will serve as a 



Lemonade 

Put three-fourths cupful of sugar in a quart jar. Roll and slice two lemons 
as thin as possible. Put the lemon in the jar with the sugar and add a few 
pieces of cracked ice. Add water to fill the jar to within an inch of the top, 
cover tightly and shake hard for a few minutes. Strain off the liquid and fill 
the jar again, shaking as before. A few slices of lime or orange may be added 
to give variety in flavor. This recipe makes two quarts of delicious lemonade 
from two lemons. 

Lemon Syrup 

Wipe lemons with a damp cloth, roll until soft, cut in halves and squeeze 
out the juice. Grate the rinds of several and add to the juice. Pour into a 
stone crock, and let stand over night. Strain and measure; allow three pounds 
of sugar, one egg white and two cupfuls of cold water to each pint of lemon 
juice. Beat the egg white, add water and stir into the sugar. Heat slowly in 
a porcelain or agate kettle and, when boiling, skim carefully, add lemon juice 

16 



THE INDISPENSABLE LEMON 

and boil five minutes. Remove from the fire, let cool, then pour into sterilized 
bottles or jars and seal. Use two or three teaspoonfuls to a glass of water 

Lemon Sandwiches 

Cut fresh graham or white bread into thin slices and spread with Lemon 
Cheese mixture. Put two slices of bread together and cut the sandwiches into 
two-inch strips. A few chopped pecans or walnuts may be sprinkled over the 
filling if desired. 

Lemon Custards 

Beat four egg yolks with one cupful sugar until thoroughly blended. Then 
add grated rind and juice of one large lemon and one pound of cottage or pot 
cheese that has been rubbed through a strainer. Mix thoroughly, fold in the 
stifily beaten whites of four eggs and pour into well buttered individual rame- 
kin dishes or into small saucers. Stand the molds in a pan of hot water and 
bake in a moderate oven about twenty-five minutes. Serve cold. 

Lemon Sherbet 

Mix one quart of water with two and one-half cupfuls of sugar and boil for 
ten minutes. Remove from fire, add grated rind of two lemons and one and 
one-half tablespoonfuls gelatin softened in three tablespoonfuls of cold 
water. Let stand until cold, then add two-thirds cupful of lemon juice or one- 
half cupful lemon juice and the juice of one orange. Strain and freeze, using 
two parts finely cracked ice to one of ice-cream salt. 

Lemon Drops 

Mix very fine granulated sugar with enough lemon juice to make a very 
thick paste. Then stir over a hot fire with a wooden spoon for about 5 min- 
utes. Remove from the fire and drop from the point of a spoon upon an oiled 
marble slab or oiled paper. When cold remove from paper. Any fruit juice 
may be substituted for lemon to make fruit drops of various flavors. 

Lemon Pudding 

Scald one quart milk and pour over two cupfuls stale bread crumbs. Let 
stand until soft, then add two-thirds cupful of sugar, two beaten egg yolks, 
grated rind and juice of one large lemon and two tablespoonfuls of melted 
butter. Pour into a well-greased shallow baking dish and bake in a moderate 
oven for about thirty minutes or until firm to the touch. Beat the egg whites 
to a stiff froth, add one-third cupful of sugar and continue beating until stiff. 
Spread over the pudding and brown in a slow oven. Serve hot or cold. 



17 



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